Rudolfo Anaya Quote

He started from nothing, I hear say, and now he’s got the only supermarket in the barrio. He has a big Cadillac car, and a lot of political connections at City Hall. They say he delivers the barrio’s votes every election, for the right price. Some of the people call him el patrón. Of course he takes his mordida from everyone—Do you know he charges the people on welfare a dime to cash their checks. He gets a man a job, and he takes a bite. He gets someone out of jail, or helps someone apply for welfare or social security, and he gets a small cut. He charges a fee for everything, and all those small fees have made him rich—' 'It doesn’t seem fair,' Jason reflected. 'No,' Clemente agreed, 'but it’s the way we’re learning to live, like the americano, there is a fee for everything